5 simple techniques to focus your mind when you are very stressed

Someone tells you something, and while, your mind wanders through a thousand places. You write a note and at the same time you answer emails and calls. Complete your tasks hurriedly while you finish your breakfast. Does it sound familiar to you? With such a hectic life, it is impossible not to have a scattered mind.

This, in addition to negatively influencing your productivity and quality of work, affects your physical and psychological well-being: it produces stress and prevents you from taking full advantage of each moment.

How can you recover the focus? These are some simple techniques that will make a huge difference in your ability to concentrate.

1. Do one thing at a time. Forget about multitasking . The multitasking is overrated. Doing several things at once does not make you a more efficient and productive person; on the contrary, it disperses your mind, stresses you and prevents you from putting your best in each task. Make a list of things to do during the day; start with the most difficult ones and end with the simplest ones. Try not to start one until you have completed the previous one.

2. Stay away from excess stimuli. Many times – especially if you work in a noisy environment, such as a digital media or advertising agency – isolating yourself from the environment can be very helpful. When you need to focus, put aside your cell phone, put some headphones and listen to relaxing music (leave the podcasts or Muse’s latest album for another time). Also, avoid having a television nearby. The less sensory stimuli you have, the better.

3. Take breaks. We know that you are very busy, but taking frequent breaks is not a whim or a pretext to stop working: it is, on the contrary, a way to ensure concentration and the flow of creativity . Every hour, get up from your place, stretch, walk, drink coffee, talk … You will return to your tasks more charged with energy.

4. Meditate. As a result of our busy life, our mind is scattered in a thousand and one directions. When we meditate we learn to control the flow of energy in our body and we can focus it to reach our goals . Find a quiet space and sit cross-legged. Close your eyes and relax your breathing. A technique to concentrate on is to imagine yourself as if you saw yourself in a mirror, and to do it from every possible angle: try to recreate each one of your characteristics.  

5. Do the most important thing at the beginning. Leaving the most important tasks for the end is a bad habit: at the end of the day you are tired, you feel less creative and you have time on top. Try to start your work day doing creative work, or solving tasks that require a high load of concentration.